Ancestry.com Baptism records

Ancestry.com Baptism records

I have just discovered that Ancestry.com has ripped off its subscribers by removing access to Hudson Valley and Mohawk Valley baptism records. Their database of records collected by Arthur and Nancy Kelly, which included numerous Dutchess Co. churches, is no longer available for online search.

I have sent a number of emails to their "Help" desk and have received back only an automated response that does not address any of my questions.

I feel that this is a huge loss. I think all subscribers to their service should protest their quiet removal of this information. They keep advertising all their "advances" and "improvements"--and kindly neglect telling us about what they are taking away from paid subscribers.

Re: Ancestry.com Baptism records

Kelly wrote a couple of books re: marriage and wills in the 1983 timeframe. It may be, I am not positive, that there is still a copyright issue. Ancestry may have added the works to their database without knowing this. Hence, once notified, they removed them.

Just a guess.

Re: Ancestry.com Baptism records

I too noted this late last week. I called and believe it or not spoke to a real live person. Since then I have received numerrous automated responses to my daily complaints. Commencing this week -- they will receive multiple daily telephone calles from me until they resolve this issue. They currently claim that it is a programming error and they are doing what they can to fix it. Either they do not have any intention of fixing it or they have major deficiencies in their programmers. They have a responsibility to provide their customers what they were promised (either outrightly or through implication) when they paid for their services. I encourage everyone to get on their backs and stay on their backs until they fix the problem.Jim Groat

Re: Ancestry.com Baptism records

Honestly, I was surprised to see them there to begin with. Arthur Kelly might have given them a contract of a specific length of time to have them online, since his business is selling books and Cds of his company's research. I am sure you can either order a book or CD with the information on it. Actually looking at his website it seems they are now offered as CDs for purchase, before I believe they were only offered as books.

I know of one instance where years ago either Ancestry or Genealogy.com had put up a database that was from a book that the Dutchess Co. Historical Society had copyright to and they had to remove it. I doubt this is the case with these records.